Hudscott

Hudscott House, classified in 1967 a Grade II* listed building,[6] is situated one mile south-east of the village of Chittlehampton.

[10] Hudescote is listed in the Assize Roll of 1281, and paid a chief rent of 6 1/2 d per annum as one of the 10 freeholdings within the manor of Chittlehampton.

The Copleston family is according to a traditional rhyme one of the most ancient Devonshire gentry families:[18] William's[19] daughter Mary Venner (died 1651) married Joachim Rolle (died 1639),[10] the 5th or 6th[20] son of John Rolle (1522–1570) of Stevenstone, Devon, by his wife Margaret Ford, daughter of John Ford of Ashburton.

[21] Joachim and his wife appear to have lived at Hudscott[10] as their mural monument survives on the north wall of the aisle of St Hieritha's parish church[10] and both were buried at Chittlehampton.

As thou art so was I, and as I am so shalt thou bee" A depiction of Joachim kneeling with his seven brothers survives on a monumental brass panel to the right of the brass of his mother Margaret Ford, on the floor of the south aisle, St Giles' Church, St Giles in the Wood, Devon, the parish church of Stevenstone.

Elizabeth married John II Lovering (died 1686) of Huxhill in the parish of Weare Giffard.

The Dodderidge family were important merchants and ship-owners in Barnstaple and their Elizabethan mansion survived until the early 20th century in Cross Street, Barnsatple, until it was demolished to make way for a new post office.

The arms of Lovering impaling Dodderidge exist at Hudscott on an escutcheon within a scroll-work plaster overmantel in the hall.

[27] It was apparently Dorcas Dodderidge who was referred to in an 1871 text on the Great Ejection of 1662:[28] On the road to Umberleigh, five miles from South Molton, there stands a fine old English mansion called Hudscott, where at this time (1662) there lived a noble puritan lady, who like Phoebe, had been a 'succour of many'.

It was her delight to entertain such men as John Flavel of Torrington and other dejected ministers, whose writings, the labours of a forced retirement, have become the inheritance of the whole church.

Another of the rare Devonshire protectoresses of ejected clergy at this time was Rachael Fane (1612/13-1680), wife of Henry Bourchier, 5th Earl of Bath of Tawstock Court, near Barnstaple, whose monument in Tawstock Church states: She was a humble and devout daughter of the Church of England and in times of persecution a mother to the ejected Fathers and in these parts almost their only protectress.

John II Lovering (died 1686), of Huxhill in the parish of Weare Giffard, was a merchant trading at Barnstaple.

[31] He also purchased in 1645 from Adam Lugg of Barnstaple the manor of East Ilkerton and a moiety of Sparhanger, Radispray and North Fursehill.

He is mentioned in the historical romance Lorna Doone (1869) by Richard Doddridge Blackmore as follows: "And it is a very grievous thing, which touches small landowners, to see an ancient family day by day decaying: and when we heard that Ley Barton itself, and all the Manor of Lynton were under a heavy mortgage debt to John Lovering of Weare-Gifford, there was not much, in our little way, that we would not gladly do or suffer for the benefit of De Whichehalse".Chanter (1906) states the account in Lorna Doone to be confused.

He had by Elizabeth two sons, John Lovering and Venner Lovering who both predeceased their father without progeny, and two daughters: Samuel I Rolle of Hudscott, MP for Barnstaple between 1705 and 1708 was a member of a cadet branch of the influential Rolle family of Stevenstone, near Great Torrington, Devon.

Children of marriage, etc.Samuel II Rolle (1704-1747), (only surviving son), MP for Barnstaple, who died without progeny and bequeathed his estates, including Hudscott, and the Lovering moiety in Countisbury, to his much wealthier distant cousin, Denys Rolle (1725–1797), MP, of Stevenstone.

[43] A monument to Samuel I and his wife and to Samuel II survives on the west wall of the south transept of Chittlehampton Church inscribed as follows: On the monument is shown an escutcheon with the arms of Rolle in the centre of which is an escutcheon of pretence with the arms of Lovering: Argent, on a fesse wavy azure a lion passant or, which signifies that Dorothy Lovering was an heiress.

In 1737 Samuel II Rolle purchased the estate of Brightley, like Hudscott within the manor of Chittlehampton, from the executors of Caesar Giffard.

He then had 5 seats at his disposal: Stevenstone and Beam, both near Great Torrington, Hudscott and Bicton near Exeter, all in Devon and East Tytherley in Hampshire.

[57] His daughter Mary Mabel Chambers Hodgetts (who in 1871 had been an orphan and Ward of Chancery) in 1893 donated in his memory the west window of Chittlehampton Church which depicts Our Lord in Glory.

[65] John Baring Short's widow, Elizabeth Barry (d.1930) was the only daughter of Major William Norton Barry of Castlecor, Kilbrin, County Cork, Ireland, and remarried to George Thorold (d.1932), of Warkleigh,[66] and with him resumed occupation of Hudscott following the death in 1895 of its next tenant Arthur Fortescue.

Elizabeth and her first husband donated the east window, dedicated to Elizabeth's father, to Chittlehampton Church, as evidenced by a brass plaque inscribed as follows: "To the glory of God and in memory of William Norton Barry of Castle Cor Co. Cork, Ireland, who died January 23 AD 1871 aged 57.

[68] The census of 1891 for Hudscott lists his household to contain his wife, eldest son Grenville Fortescue (born 1887) and eight servants.

Grace, Mercy and Peace" George Aubrey William Thorold was the tenant of Hudscott in 1901[69] until his death in 1932.

He was a JP for Devon and was governor of West Buckland School and was president of the Umberleigh Fat Stock Show.

[71] Following his death an auction was held by Messrs Cockram, Dobbs and Stagg to dispose of his furniture from Hudscott, in 1,300 lots.

Hudscott House, south front
Georgian Coachman's House and Clock Tower 20 metres east of Hudscott House, with date 1711 inscribed on clockface, built by Samuel Rolle and his wife Dorothy Lovering, heiress of Hudscott. Grade II* listed . The original clock mechanism made in 1711 by Lewis Pridham survives [ 1 ]
Early 18th-century orangery at Hudscott. Grade II listed [ 2 ]
17th-century plasterwork overmantel in hall of Hudscott House. Within a rectangle of decorative strapwork is shown a heraldic escutcheon with arms of Lovering impaling Dodderidge. To either side are two later roundels within wreaths with escutcheons showing arms of Rolle (right) and of Venner(? [ 3 ] ) (left)
Arms of Venner of Hudscott, Chittlehampton: Gules, three bends or a chief per fess ermine and argent [ 11 ]
Mural monument to Joachim Rolle (died 1638), son-in-law to William I Venner, Chittlehampton Church, Devon
The eight sons of John Rolle by his wife Margaret Ford. Their names are inscribed left to right: Henrye R, Rychard R, [ 16 ] Valentyne R, Alexander R, George R, Joachyme R , Robert R, John R. Monumental brass panel to right of brass of their mother Margaret Ford, floor of south aisle, St Giles in the Wood Church
Arms of Lovering of Hudscott, Chittlehampton, as seen on Rolle mural monument, as escutcheon of pretence , Chittlehampton Church: Argent, on a fesse wavy azure a lion passant or
Detail from 17th-century plasterwork overmantel in hall of Hudscott House, showing arms of Lovering of Hudscott ( Argent, on a fesse wavy azure a lion passant or ) impaling Dodderidge ( Argent, two pales wavy azure between nine crosses croslet gules [ 23 ] ) here shown apparently with tinctures transposed. They represent the marriage of John I Lovering (died 1675) to Dorcas Doddridge, sister and co-heiress of John Doddridge (1610-1666), MP, of Bremridge , Filleigh, and daughter of Pentecost Dodderidge of Barnstaple. The crest of Lovering (of unknown form) is missing from on top of the helm
Arms of Richard II Acland (1679-1729) of Fremington ( Chequy argent and sable, a fesse gules ) impaling the arms of his wife Susanna Lovering (d.1747) ( Argent, on a fesse wavy azure a lion passant or ). Sculpted heraldic achievement (circa 1700-1729) on pediment of brick archway to stable block, Fremington House
Arms of Rolle: Or, on a fesse dancetté between three billets azure each charged with a lion rampant of the first three bezants
Rolle mural monument, Chittlehampton Church
Arms of Samuel I Rolle with inescutcheon of Lovering. Detail from the Rolle monument in Chittlehampton Church
Portrait of Denys Rolle (1725–1797) by Thomas Hudson (1701–79). Collection of Great Torrington Almshouse, Town Lands and Poors Charities, formerly the property of Hon. Mark Rolle (died 1907) of Stevenstone and donated by his heir Lord Clinton. [ 45 ] On display in Great Torrington Guildhall
Rolle of Hudscott window, depicting biblical acts of charity, south chancel, St Hieritha's Church, Chittlehampton, made by Hardman & Co. [ 49 ] Inscribed to Lord Rolle and his sisters:"John Lord Rolle died 1842; Anne Rolle died 1842; Lucilla Rolle died 1851; Maria Rolle died 1831"
West window of Chittlehampton Church, made by Hardman , [ 54 ] donated in 1893 by Mary Mabel Chambers Hodgetts in memory of her father William Thomas Hodgetts Hodgetts (d.1867) of Hudscott [ 55 ]
East window of Chittlehampton Church donated by John Baring Short of Hudscott and his wife Elizabeth Barry [ 60 ]
Lychgate , St Hieritha's Church, Chittlehampton, incorporating a small white marble plaque inscribed: "To the glory of God and in memory of John Baring Short, died at Hudscott Decr 10th 1880 aged 44 years"